Human Nature
by Kate1013
Summary: Everyone does something stupid every once in a while...."


A/N: This was orignally written many years ago and is archived at Gossamer and Beyond 44:58 under a prefvious penname of Jude. This has merely been dusted off and edited. It's been a whiel since I have been in an XF frame of mind, so was a nice trip down memory lane... :)

* * *

Title: Human Nature

Author: Kate1013

Category: Vignette

Rating: PG

Spoiler: Per Manum, though this is set loosely in late S7

Summary: "Everyone does something stupid every once in a while...."

Disclaimer: Dana Scully in not mine, Charlie however is, as CC never actually *created* him, merely hinted that he existed...

Archive: Anywhere but please ask first

Author's comment: Thanks to M for the fantastic beta and advice, and to those who gave me various amounts of feedback on my previous story - always a joy! Thanks!

* * *

"Hi, you've reached Fox Mulder. I'm not in right now, but you know what to do. BEEEEPPPP."

"Hey, it's me. I was just calling to let you know that I'm okay and that... that I'm sorry, for leaving the way that I did. I just... I need to sort this out on my own for a while and I... I hope that you can understand that. Anyway... I'll, er, give you a call tomorrow. Take care of yourself..."

As she hung up the phone, Scully sank down onto the back step of the porch. Her throat ached from the swollen lump that had become lodged within it, and she swallowed it down. Her voice had become thick and laced with unshed tears towards the end of her message and part of her cursed at herself. She was tired of crying. She was tired of lying... But most of all she was tired of feeling all alone.

"No one in, huh?"

She coughed, clearing her throat and blinking back the tears, before she half turned to look up at her brother. "Er, no..."

"You can try again later."

"Yeah, maybe..."

Charlie plonked himself down onto the step beside her, leaving a big enough gap so as not to overcrowd her. Out of all her siblings, Charles Scully was the one everyone thought was most like Dana. Petite, but intricately formed, his face round and yet thin with somewhat bony features. His red hair was a little less bright, but his temper matched hers in intensity. His unwavering strength of character had enabled him to stick up for himself while growing up in a tough naval family. Their similarities had often caused clashes between the two, but above all, it had created a deeper respect and understanding than the other siblings were fully aware of.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Scully shook her head, forcing out a whisper. "I don't know if I can right now."

Charlie nodded. She could feel his eyes upon her, and watched as the hand that had reached out to touch her, fell to his side. Scully knew she was never one for expressing feelings; never one to admit defeat; never one to worry about appearances... And yet here she was - miles away from home, sitting on his back porch crying for attention... And she still couldn't bring herself to reach out to someone.

"Can I make an observation?" He asked suddenly.

"Sure." Scully still didn't meet his gaze.

"I know you didn't just come to California to see me and the family, okay? I know that you're running away from something that you don't want to deal with... And that's okay." He watched as her head lifted, eyes cautious and curious. If she was shocked by his statement, she wasn't about to let him know. "I can understand why you might want to get away from things for a while; why you might not want to talk about it." He paused, pursing his lips ever so briefly as he stared into her eyes. "What I don't understand is why you told him that you've come here to sort things out when you are, in fact, quite clearly not."

"I didn't say that I didn't want to talk about it, I said that I couldn't."

Her eyes no longer held unshed tears, but pure sincerity. She believed what she was saying. Only her voice still betrayed her, husky tones begging her resolve to break.

Charlie smiled despite the sadness of it all. "Can you explain how that works exactly, to your little brother here, please? 'Cause I'm just dumb and stupid and, er, I don't get what you just said..."

A smile emerged briefly upon her face, her eyes alight before casting them down upon the pavement at her feet. "There are things that you don't know," Scully began as she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. "That none of the family knows, in fact, and I don't feel that I can tell

you until this is all sorted out."

" 'This' being...?"

"Being the reason why I made that call just now." She picked at some dirt beside her on the porch. A subconscious act that enabled her mind to distance itself from the real issue at hand. Charlie knew the signs - he'd been a victim to it himself many times before. And yet he still watched her distraction, his silence demanding a response of some kind. "This doesn't just involve me, Charlie. I can't tell everyone about it until I've spoken to him-"

"Him being...?"

Her eyes rose first, followed slowly by the rest of her head. "Mulder." Her voice came out strong, astounding Charlie as he understandably expected a whisper.

"Is it just Mulder...?" Words failed him for a moment while his brain ticked over. "Or," Charlie continued, "Does this 'issue' involve anyone else?"

A silent sigh and lack of response gave him his answer.

"Dana, what happened? What are you running away from?"

When she finally raised her head to meet his gaze, her brother saw the first onslaught of tears. She didn't wipe them away as she stared over at him; simply let them fall to stain her cheeks. "I've been so stupid, Charlie.."

"Everyone does something stupid every once in a while," He squeezed her shoulder, "It's human nature..."

She laughed, almost nervous as she clasped her hands. "Yeah well, it's human nature that I'm worried about..."

"Why?"

"Because you can't rely on it."

"That's the beauty of it. It's gloriously unpredictable."

"Yeah well, I don't need unpredictable right now..."

"And um, is, er... Mulder being unpredictable?"

"No," She shook her head, "He's been nothing *but* predictable, which is scary in itself 'cause it's so unlike him..." She saw the confused look in her brothers eyes. "It's not Mulder... it's me. I came here to run away from myself, which is why it's so stupid 'cause no one can do that."

"Dana-"

"I asked him to do something for me. The most important thing that I have ever asked anyone in my whole *entire* life!"

"And?" Charlie watched his sister sigh. "Did he do it?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then what's the problem?"

Scully paused, glancing at her hands before taking a deep breath. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"Of what?" Charlie watched as she lowered her head again and covered her hands with his, forcing her to look up into his eyes. "What are you scared of, Dana?" He asked again.

"That I won't have control over what's about to happen. That everything will change... Or worse still, that everything will stay the same..."

Charlie frowned.

"Charlie... I asked him to be the father of my child." Scully watched as the breath drained from her brother's body, his mouth hanging open in silence, his eyes wide in shock. "And I'm scared... In fact I'm absolutely petrified because I think I've just realised why I asked

him..."

"That's one hell of a question!" Charlie spluttered, finally regaining his speech.

"Yeah well, that part doesn't matter, 'cause it's not gonna happen-"

"But he said yes!"

"*He* said yes, Charlie - biology didn't."

For the second time in a matter of seconds, Charles Scully's vocal cords froze up again. The shocked expression he just wore, fell away to reveal a more pained impression. His eyes lingered on her for a minute before she jutted her chin, forcing them both to turn away.

"IVF," She said, answering his unspoken question. "I had one last chance and it didn't work."

"I'm sorry," Charlie sighed, his voice appearing deep and croaky compared to Scully's soft whispers.

"Yeah well, that's fucking human nature for you..."

"When?" Charlie suddenly asked. "When did this happen?"

"About two months ago."

Charlie nodded, his gaze wandering everywhere but her face for a moment. "Does Mom know?"

"No..."

"And the reason you're here?" He finally looked back at her, trying not to show all the emotions that were flying around his body at that moment. He watched as she flinched slightly, realising that maybe he wasn't all that successful.

"Because I'm scared and stupid and lost... and I can't think straight anymore."

"C'mere.. " The quiver in her voice was all it took for Charlie to stop holding himself back, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her still for a moment.

"My life's changed, Charlie." She declared, after a beat.

"Why's that?" He murmured.

"Because I realised that everything I set out to do when we were kids, has never actually happened."

"Yeah well I wanted to be an astronaut..."

"I'm serious!"

"So am I!" Charlie sighed. "Dana, you saved lives as a doctor; you save lives as an FBI agent... Don't tell me that everything you have done in your adult life is worthless! That every single minute that has gone by has not exceeded your own misguided expectations, because

they have mine!"

A silence enveloped them for a moment as they continued to sit still. Charlie remained shocked as his sister still sat in his arms, completely unfazed by his outburst.

"You know I always did enjoy watching you get angry when we were kids..." The minute her deadpan voice hit his ears, Charlie couldn't help but escape a laugh. "You'd go all red faced and pouty..."

"Funny, that's what you do!"

Scully laughed as she pulled out of his grasp.

"What?" Asked Charlie, as a wistful look fell across her face.

Dana shrugged. "Nothing." She picked up the phone again. "I've got another phone call to make."

Charlie nodded and without saying a word, squeezed her shoulder before rising to leave. As she watched him enter the back door, she turned to the phone and dialled the number.

"Mulder," Came the voice at the other end of the line.

"Hey, it's me..."

fini


End file.
